TheBoyWhoSacrificed
by Dare2Dream97
Summary: Harry Potter deals with the aftermath of war and decides to go back and change things for the better. One shot. AU, OOC and character death. It's short! Take a chance :


A/N: I haven't written anything in ages. This isn't Twilight, but I did like to believe that I gave my best for this piece. Hopefully it isn't all that bad. Or cliche till it's cringe-worthy.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.

* * *

I knocked politely on the door before twisting the knob open.

Hermione had forgotten to lock the door again. Her eyes looked up from the work she was doing and she smiled. I smiled back. She went into the kitchen. I settled myself onto the chair. Everything was done so routinely because we had been doing this for the last 4 years.

Hermione settled the tea set. I gave no indication that I noticed the third set. She poured the tea. It was Earl Grey today, Ron's favorite. Usually she stopped when she realized she had poured a third cup, but she must have been quite tired as she went on to pop 3 cubes of sugar into the third cup, just like how Ron liked his tea. A pause. Then she realized that Ron wouldn't be coming to drink that perfectly brewed tea.

With shaky hands, she picked up the third cup and brought it back to the kitchen. I sipped my tea, forcing that feeling of sadness down.

When Hermione came back, she looked at me and asked the same question every time I visited. "How are you, Harry?"

"Fine." I murmured, observing how her hair was more frazzled than usual and how her eyes looked as if they had been squeezed dried of tears.

She glanced at the pile of papers that she was working on previously. I noticed and tried to strike up conversation, "Is that your new project?"

Hermione had decided on being a researcher. Her research mainly dealt with the theory of magic. She worked with many Unspeakables to find out more about what exactly magic was. I still remembered when she announced she would be a researcher. I was honestly surprised. I didn't think that she would have wanted to stay on in the Wizarding world, but I guess I had underestimated Hermione's love for all things magic.

"We found a lead in Romania. It is being debated if magic actually stemmed from dragons."

There was silence before she continued.

"Next week, I'll be going to Romania. I don't think I'll be coming back." Her hands wringed the hem of her shirt. She looked intently at her cup of tea. And I momentarily wondered if she would be okay.

After the war, Hermione had immersed herself with a known routine. She had been so sick of surprise attacks she made sure everything went according to how she planned. I remembered how I had missed one of our little meetings. I was busy and went the next day instead.

* * *

"_Hermione?" I called out._

_A tea cup flew past my head. A saucer next. Followed by a variety of tea sets. Finally a metal spoon hit my forehead. Whipping out my wand, I cast a spell to stop the items in motion._

_I found Hermione curled up against the wall. She looked terrible, her clothes looked like she slept in them and her face was streaked with tear tracks._

"_WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?" She screamed as she shot up together with a fist to hit my squarely up my jaw._

_I hugged her in an attempt to settle her down. Hermione struggled only to calm down in my embrace and cry her heart out._

"_I thought you left. I thought someone finally got to you. I thought I lost you too." I managed to hear through her choking sobs._

* * *

It broke my heart to see the usually strong Hermione so vulnerable and scared. I never missed a meeting again.

"I'll try my best," She whispered, as if she said it any louder, it would break the conviction behind the words. "To move on. I'll try my best to wipe my tears and… move on." Her voice broke at the last word and she choked back a sob.

I felt like I couldn't breathe. I fought the growing urge to cry as I stood up. It was time to leave. I lifted her gaze from the tea cup to meet my own. Her eyes shone with unshed tears; even now she still displayed her strength.

I kissed her forehead. I knew that showing affection was the only thing that helped Hermione remember that she wasn't totally alone in the world.

"I'm still here, Hermione. I'm still here for you. Ron will be too. I promise."

I knocked softly before entering the ward.

The only sounds in the hospital ward were the quiet beeping, calm breathing and the wringing of a wet cloth. Neville Longbottom lied on the bed. His hair was combed to his shoulders and he was wearing the normal hospital garments. Luna Lovegood sat next to her fiancé. Wringing the wet cloth then proceeding to gently wipe her unconscious love. I settled down next to her.

"How's he?" I asked. It was a stupid question. Neville Longbottom had been in coma since the battle where Nagini had bitten him just before he slashed her head off. Neville went into a coma and hasn't stirred for 4 years.

"The doctors suspect that he might never wake up. They think we should give up." Luna said in an eerily calm tone, not pausing to look at me or stop her task of wiping her fiancé's face.

Neville and Luna had planned to marry as soon as they realized that their one night of drunken passion had led to a baby. The planned marriage eventually led to them falling in love.

* * *

_I looked at the entwined fingers. Luna giggled and Neville blushed. I raised my eyebrows in a silent question. Things had been awkward between them since their one night stand. And Luna's baby bump only served to remind them that daily._

"_We decided to accept the marriage." Neville declared. Luna squeezed Neville's hand lightly. _

_I wanted to point out that they didn't get a choice. But they were look at each other with such love that I thought perhaps they weren't all that drunk during their night of passion._

* * *

But Luna had a miscarriage at 7 months when a Death Eater struck her with a curse. And that was when Neville was already unconscious. She had been traumatized by the miscarriage and Neville hadn't been able to be strong for her.

No one had time to be strong for her.

Luna had spent 5 months trying to grasp with the knowledge of her miscarriage and it ended with her losing her last bit of innocence. She no longer spouted information about beasts that only she and her father knew, no more Wackspurts or anything else. She started flinging out curses and hexes faster and more vicious than anyone else. And her eyes never once again held that dazed look, it looked like steel all the time.

She changed so much but the only thing that hadn't changed was her loyalty and love for Neville.

I looked at Neville. He was the shame of Gryffindor. No one knew why he was sorted into Gryffindor with his personality. But in the end, the sorting hat had been right. Neville was the courageous one who had killed of Nagini.

We spent hours there silently watching Neville for a slightest movement. Then I stood up. I still had people to visit.

"Bye, Luna."

I was able to close the door, when I heard her reply. She sounded broken, tired and for a moment, like the Luna before the steel in her eyes.

"I think I'm about to give up."

* * *

I knocked on the metal door before proceeding inside.

The cell stank and Draco Malfoy sat curled up in a ball.

His hair was matted and grey with dirt. His face thin with malnutrition and his prison robes was wet with sweat. Draco Malfoy, who was as vain as a peacock, looked like hell.

"I didn't do it." He murmured. Mostly to himself, not even noticing that I was there.

"_I DIDN'T DO IT!" Malfoy shouted as two aurors grabbed his arm and led him out of the courtroom. The trial had lasted less than 10 minutes and was certainly not the shortest. Malfoy wasn't given a chance to prove his innocence, the whole 10 minutes was spent on reading out the atrocities that he was said to have done. After all, they still had 34 more Death Eaters to be charged as guilty._

Draco Malfoy had been charged guilty for the murder of at least 10 people and rape and molestation of at least 10 other women. He maintained that he didn't do it. I believed him but the Wizarding world didn't. There was so many unsolved murder and the people need closure by pinning the blame on someone. Draco Malfoy had been that unlucky someone.

* * *

_It was late and I couldn't sleep. So I placed on my invisibility cloak and sneaked out after curfew to the astronomy tower. This was where I had spent the last moment with Dumbledore before he left for his next great adventure. In some sense, I felt closer to the man I looked to as a mentor when I was up here. Draco Malfoy was there too. I wanted to take my wand out and blast him into oblivion for being in cahoots with Snape to kill Dumbledore. But I saw empty bottles of firewhiskey strewn around him and his wand on top of his robe that he had taken off. His tie was loose and his pale face red. _

_I took off my invisibility cloak. Malfoy was so wasted he probably couldn't remember that I was here. So with that mindset, I grabbed one of the few remaining bottles of firewhiskey._

_Malfoy hiccupped and turned to look at me. "Potterrrr." He slurred. I was surprised he could recognize me in his drunken state of mind._

_I ignored him. _

"_I'm going to be –hiccup- brandedddd tomorrow." He revealed. I didn't care. I knew he would get the Dark Mark the moment Dumbledore died._

"_BUT. –hiccup- I don't want itttt." He continued. My curiosity peaked. _

"_Why not? You watched Dumbledore die. You helped the Death Eaters into school. You __**deserve **__it." I said in a low voice, reining my anger back._

"_I don't want to join Fatherrr –hiccup- in eternal servitude to a maddd sssssnake." He drank another few gulps of firewhiskey. A small droplet of alcohol flowed down his chin and onto his chest. I realized with a pinch of surprise that Draco Malfoy hadn't shaved his stubble. With further inspection, I saw that he had dark rings beneath his eyes, as if he had also spent the past few days drowning his sorrows in the astronomy tower. I mentally laughed at my stupidity. What sorrows? Draco Malfoy must be prancing in glee for finally being able to be called a bitch of the fucking mad snake._

"_You can choose not to." I sneered bitterly, pointing out the obvious to him._

_The next moment, I found myself pinned to the cold wall with Malfoy fisting my shirt. His grey eyes burn into mine with a fierce intensity as he said, "I don't have a fucking choice." His blazing eyes and the way he sounded so sober made me wonder if that drunken stupor had been all an act._

* * *

"I believe you, Draco." I answered, for that night in the astronomy tower and for his repeated murmurings. Of all the things Draco Malfoy had said to me, I didn't understand why I had chosen to believe him that night.

I wondered if he would be able to register what I said into his rotting brain. Even though the dementors no longer patrolled the cells, someone sadistic had create a charm that worked the same as the dementors and every cell had been placed with that charm. The charm slowly ate away people's sanity just like the dementors. Draco Malfoy had been no exception.

"Thank you." It was only a whisper. But it had ringed loud and clear in the tiny cell. I glanced down at Draco Malfoy; there was a fond smile on his face.

"Potter, I have a family." He said softly. I bent down to his level to hear him continue.

"Her name is Astoria. She's Daphne's sister. And she is the most beautiful person I have ever seen. Smartest too. She told me we should lay low and get married once the war is over." He said wistfully, a fond smile on his face.

I couldn't bear to tell you that Astoria Greengrass had died along with her 3 months old fetus when a stray killing curse hit her. No one knew if she had been hit by one of her own allies or one of the Light side had actually successfully produced a Unforgivable after the Ministry lifted its ban. No one cared either. To them, she was just another casualty to the ever-increasing list.

"But I'm stuck here. I'm waiting for her. She'll come for me." He continued. "Then we'll have a baby. And we'll be a happy family."

"That's the only thought that keeps me from death's arms." He revealed. A daze look settled upon his face, a small smile at the thought. Before the charm sucked it away and left him murmuring about how "he didn't do it."

Yes, Draco Malfoy had chosen the Dark side. But he had only wanted simple things. He wanted love. He wanted family. He hadn't wanted thousands of muggles and muggleborns to die. And war had ripped it away from his hands.

"I'll contact her and get her to come to you." I lied. "But I promise you'll be out of this hellhole. I give you my word, Draco."

"Thank you." Draco murmured.

* * *

I knocked loudly on the door, waiting for the last occupant of the Burrow to open up.

The door finally opened and revealed Ginny with a scowl. "What do you want?" She asked curtly, not bothering with pleasantries.

Ginny was clad in only a robe with a cigarette handing from her mouth. Her hair was messy and she smelled of sweat and sex. I went in without an invite. A man was lying on the only available couch. He was in his birthday suit except for the lacy bra covering his manhood. The Burrow had been stripped of all things magical to be replaced with muggle items and technology. The Burrow which had been so filled with magic when I first visited seemed dead to me right now.

* * *

_With trembling fingers, Ginny flipped to the next page of the Daily Prophet. It stated who was missing and who was dead. But in the current situation, missing equated to being dead. Every morning, people scan the pages hoping not to see a familiar name. That day, Ginny was just hoping not to lose her last remaining family._

_I sat next to her, giving her moral support. Sucking in a breath, Ginny turned the page. I didn't want to read it. I had already lost so many, including Ron. _

_I waited for the released breath of relief, but it never came. Instead, I found Ginny with tears streaming down her face and dotting the newspaper. And there, right under the list of dead Ministry staff was Arnold Weasley's name._

_I held Ginny in my arms and allowed her to cry as much as she wanted. Hermione came down from her room with bloodshot eyes and tear streaks. After Ron's death, Hermione and I went to the Burrow to feel closer to our friend. We also found out from a tired Ginny that she was the only one living in it as everyone else was dead and her father spent most of his time in the ministry._

_Hermione came over and enveloped us in a hug. Her slight trembling frame was the only hint that she too was expressing her sorrows through tears. I had cried when I first lost Sirius, then Dumbledore, then Remus, then Molly Weasley, then Fred, then so many more and then Ron. But after Ron, I had sworn of crying. Everyone was suffering from their loss so I had to be the strong pillar there for them._

_But feeling the shaking frames of the 2 most important women crying in my embrace nearly made the tears spill._

* * *

Afterwards, having lost all her family members to the Wizarding world, the pureblood had locked up everything magical in a trunk and stuffed it under the sink. Not even her wand was spared. She hadn't stopped there. Ginny began indulging in muggle sins, frequenting pubs and wasting away her life on drugs, alcohol and sex. She became the very thing the Wizarding world was disgusted at: A muggle.

But Ginny enjoyed it. It gave her the semblance of control and it had been her last defiant act to the cruel Wizarding world.

"_Obliviate"_ I made sure I wiped the man's memories before levitating him out and dumping him on the doorstep. I didn't even bother to give him his clothes or made sure he knew how to return home. I turned back to see Ginny backed into a corner, eyes wide and tears overflowing.

"DON'T DO M-MAGIC IN THE HOUSE! IT _KILLS_!" She shouted at me, fearing the very thing that was pulsing in her veins.

I quickly tucked my wand back into my pocket. I raised my hands in the air, to show that I had nothing dangerous, hoping with all my might that she would calm down. I hadn't seen Ginny in years. I had only heard about her from Hermione, who desperately tried to keep contact with the last connection to Ronald Weasley. I didn't know that Ginny had fallen so deep. The girl, who loved magic and grew up in a magical environment hated magic, was afraid of magic.

"Where's your wand, Ginny?" I asked, knowing the exact location of it.

"I don't know." She answered coldly. She had calmed down only moments ago and she had slipped into the uncaring persona so quickly.

I looked at the girl I was supposed to fall in love with and marry. Even though we hadn't fallen in love, I loved her as much as a sister. I had come with the plan to introduce her back to magic, but seeing the state that she was. I couldn't bear trying to break the girl any further. We were all still trying to cope with our loss and this was Ginny's way of doing so.

I hugged her tight, trying to convey my love through my last affectionate physical contact with her. She had been shocked at first, tense with uncertainty but eventually her hands found my back.

"I'm so tired, Harry." She murmured, burying her head into my chest.

I patted her back gently and told her, "I'll make things right this time. I promise."

* * *

I had found a spell a few days ago after intense researching. It would bring my soul and the magic bound to my soul back into time. But I had to go back with a certain agenda in mind. And I had to accomplish said agenda or else time would rip me apart and scatter me across dimensions. It was dangerous and I wasn't quite sure if I was willing to give up my life. So I decided to visit the people who graduated with me. I searched hard and found out that they had either died, went to the muggle world to hide or just disappeared from the face of Earth.

But the people I did visit only strongly enhance my desire to change something. Anything would be better than the current situation. Anything would be better than Hermione crying over Ron, Luna giving up on Neville, Draco Malfoy pinning away for a dead family and Ginny fearing the very essence flowing in her veins.

I felt my magic pulsed as I stepped into the ritual circle. And my soul was whipped away, leaving my robes and my disintegrated body and wand.

* * *

In that exact moment, everything changed.

* * *

Hermione Granger placed a pair of thick boots into her luggage and caught herself. Why would she need boots when it was summer and she would be visiting her parents with her 10-year-old daughter and loving husband? It wasn't like she was going to Romania to study dragons or anything. She suddenly felt a strong need to confirm that her family was with her. That Rose and Ron Weasley were in fact in the living room and not dead.

"Ron? Rose?" She called out with bated breath.

Few moments later, Ron's head popped in, followed by her daughter. Hermione felt so relieved and fought the urge to break down and cry tears of joy. Crossing the short distance to her husband in a few steps, Hermione Weasley swung her arms around Ron Weasley, pushing herself up on the tips of her toes and plunged her tongue into her husband's willing mouth.

Rose gasped and cried that her mother was eating up her father. Hermione only bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead, teasing that if she refused to brush her teeth again, she would devour the little devil too. That earned a squeal from her daughter and peals of laughter from her husband.

Hermione never felt so happy in her life.

* * *

Draco Malfoy found himself outside of a cell, looking at his father. Lucius Malfoy was the one behind bars, not Draco Malfoy. But he shook his head and wondered why would he even think that he would be the one in Azkaban. His 5-year-old son, Scorpius was beside him. Little Scorpius had gotten the Malfoy trademark blonde hair and the aristocratic facial features, but his eyes were from his mother, Astoria Greengrass. Draco had brought his son along to show him his grandfather and in vain hopes that his father would react somehow.

"I found enough evidence to deem you too dangerous to be kept alive. You are going to be killed soon." Draco revealed to his father. Draco knew that his father would rather die than know than become the insane man in Azkaban. His proud and rigid father had eventually become that drooling fool he so condemned. He pondered for a moment why he would even bother telling his father about his death. It wasn't like he would react or anything.

He looked at his father. Hoping with all he had that his father hadn't chosen the wrong path and was with him to watch his grandson grow. But Lucius only stared dazedly at Scorpius.

"Draco… Is that you?" Lucius said to Scorpius. His own father hadn't been able to recognize him. He guessed that it was due to his love for his father that he whispered to Scorpius on what to reply.

"Yes, father." Scorpius replied with all of the pureblood manners bred into his small 5-year-old memory.

Lucius Malfoy smiled fondly.

"Tha-"

Draco Malfoy apparated back to the Malfoy Manor. And Astoria Malfoy was waiting for him. He embraced his wife. Astoria didn't ask what happened; she knew Draco would reveal it in his own time.

"I came back before he could thank me for killing him." Draco mumbled into his wife's soft hair.

Astoria only hugged him tighter to show her support, to show that she accepted him. And Draco couldn't be more thankful to know that he had a family.

* * *

Ginny Weasley could swear that just a moment ago, the only sound in the Burrow was her own breathing. Right now, she could hear the sizzling of the pan that signified that Molly Weasley was cooking something. And the squeaking of a rubber duck that could only mean that Arnold Weasley was still trying to figure out the exact function of a rubber duck. Also, the frenzied chatter of the Weasley Twins about their next great product for their joke shop, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. And the slips of conversations of Bill, Charlie, Percy and their respective wives. And the loud boasting from the 12-year-old who had gone to Hogwarts first and wows of admiration from his fellow cousins. And she found herself also sharing tale of Hogwarts to her eager nieces and nephews, for she was going to be the future Defence against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts.

Ginny Weasley could swear that just a moment ago she was sharing with them the story of the hero of the Wizarding world.

She continued, "Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord Voldemort when he was just a baby. But then Voldemort resurrected himself." That elicited gasps from several of the children in the audience.

"But Harry Potter was a brave boy. He trained himself and when Voldemort resurrected himself. Harry Potter vanquished him once and for all!" The children's eyes were wide and shining with admiration for a boy they didn't even know.

Her excited tone dropped, "But Harry Potter had died in that battle with Voldemort." The children's bright smiles faded and a solemn look of appreciation and gratitude for their savior.

"How old was he?" A 7-year-old redhead asked. She was Bill's daughter.

"He was only 11." Ginny answered.

That night, Ginny Weasley felt a surge of gratitude for the dead Harry Potter. When he was killing off Dark Lords and whatnot, she had been crying into her mother's sleeve and whining that she wanted to go to Hogwarts with her brother.

"Thank you for fulfilling your promise." She had whispered to no one in particular. She didn't even know what promise and what propelled her to say that to the air. But she did suddenly feel like paying her respects to the savior of the Wizarding world. Maybe she would bring her nieces and nephews along with her tomorrow.

She wondered distractedly if she would have become friends with Harry Potter, if he survived. Then again, he would probably be swarmed with fans as he was not only the Boy-Who-Lived, but also the Boy-Who-Sacrificed.

**-End-**

* * *

A/N: Oh. It's finished. I am kinda antsy on what will the reactions be. I accept criticism and all flattery. Review or ask me anything :)

P.S. I wonder if you saw the subtle references throughout the story to each other. If you want it, you can ask me about it :) Or leave your email in a anon review, but make sure you add in the spaces, like knotfersail yahoo. com


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